Quite a variety of dental fields exist today, and two of the most popular professionals in this industry are general and cosmetic dentists. In most instances, patients needing dental work or wanting to see if they have cavities will visit a general dentist who is skilled in providing basic and preventive procedures first. Patients concerned about how their teeth look are more inclined to make an appointment with a cosmetic dentist who is skilled in providing treatments that make the teeth look whiter, brighter, and more natural in appearance. Both general and cosmetic dentists have the skills needed to complete an array of commonly performed dental procedures that are simple or complex in nature.